Fresh Food, Fresh Ideas Earns Hospital International Recognition

NEW MILFORD — New Milford Hospital was named a recipient of the 2009 Spirit of Planetree Award, recognizing the hospital’s patient-centered approach to providing care in the category of Nutritional and Nurturing Aspects of Food.

In conjunction with the 2009 Planetree Annual Conference held in Baltimore, Md., in October, the award was presented to Marydale DeBor, vice president for external affairs, and Kerry Gold, manager, dining services, by Planetree President Susan B. Frampton at a special ceremony attended by Planetree members from across the globe.

The award commemorates the hospital’s transformation of its dining service to use fresh, healthy foods — some from local farms — with its partner, Unidine Corporation. All meals for patients, employees, and visitors are prepared from scratch.

Each patient meal is served fresh, with a table card that explains which ingredients were sourced from local farms and a message explaining the importance of food as a part of healing. It also highlights a pilot project to educate local youth about nutrition, farming, the environment, and the economy through an award-winning community outreach initiative known as Plow to Plate, which advocates for regionally grown foods and farms.

Founded in 1978 by a San Francisco patient who endured a traumatic health care experience, Planetree is an internationally recognized not-for-profit organization that partners with health care providers around the globe to advance patient-centered approaches to care. Planetree has been at the forefront of the effort to personalize, humanize, and demystify the health care system for 30 years.

With its model of patient-centered care being implemented in a diverse range of hospitals, continuing care facilities, outpatient clinics, and consumer health libraries across North America, Canada, Brazil, The Netherlands, and Japan, Planetree is demonstrating that patient-centered care is not only an empowering philosophy, but a viable, vital, and cost-effective model of care.

As a Planetree affiliate, New Milford Hospital is committing to the Planetree philosophy and implementing the Planetree model of patient-centered care.

Guided by the model’s ten core components, each member collaborates with Planetree staff to develop a plan to implement initiatives and practices designed to enhance the patient experience while also supporting the professional and personal aspirations of their staff.

“Every day, in both their interactions with patients and fellow employees, our dining services team exemplifies Planetree and patient-centered care,” said Richard J. Henley, interim president and CEO. “It is only fitting that they be recognized with this prestigious national award.”

“The Spirit of Planetree Award Ceremony is always a highlight of our annual conference,” said Ms Frampton. “At the heart of the Planetree model are the human interactions between patients and caregivers. With the Spirit of Planetree Award, we celebrate individuals and teams who, in their compassion, empathy, and simple human kindness, are improving the patient experience, and that is most definitely worthy of recognition.”

New Milford Hospital was one of 12 2009 Spirit of Planetree Awards recognizing Planetree institutions across the world that represent extraordinary achievement in each of Planetree’s ten components of patient-centered care.